Experimental verification of the fission chamber gamma signal suppression by the Campbelling mode

L. Vermeeren; M. Wéber; L. Oriol; S. Breaud; P. Filliatre; B. Geslot; Christian Jammes; S. Normand; B. Lescop

doi:10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503801

Experimental verification of the fission chamber gamma signal suppression by the Campbelling mode

L. Vermeeren, M. Wéber, L. Oriol, S. Breaud, P. Filliatre, B. Geslot, Christian Jammes, S. Normand, B. Lescop

Research output › peer-review

Abstract

For the on-line monitoring of high fast neutron fluxes in the presence of a strong thermal neutron component, SCK·CEN and CEA are jointly developing a Fast Neutron Detector System, based on ²⁴²Pu fission chambers as sensors and including dedicated electronics and data processing systems. Irradiation tests in the BR2 reactor of ²⁴²Pu fission chambers operating in current mode showed that in typical MTR conditions the fission chamber currents are dominated by the gamma contribution. In order to reduce the gamma contribution to the signal, it was proposed to use the fission chambers in Campbelling mode. An irradiation experiment in the BR2 reactor with a ²⁴²Pu and a ²³⁵U fission chamber, both equipped with a suitable cable for measurements in Campbelling mode, proved the effectiveness of the suppression of the gamma-induced signal component by the Campbelling mode: gamma contribution reduction factors of 26 for the ²³⁵U fission chamber and more than 80 for the ²⁴²Pu fission chamber were obtained. The experimental data also prove that photofission contributions are negligibly small. Consequently, in typical MTR conditions the gamma contribution to the fission chamber Campbelling signal can be neglected.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	ANIMMA 2009
Subtitle of host publication	1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications
Place of Publication	Piscataway, NJ, United States
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503801
State	Published - 2009
Event	2009 - ANIMMA : 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications - CEA, Marseille Duration: 7 Jun 2009 → 10 Jul 2009

Publication series

Name	ANIMMA 2009 - 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications

Conference

Conference	2009 - ANIMMA
Abbreviated title	ANIMMA
Country/Territory	France
City	Marseille
Period	2009-06-07 → 2009-07-10

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Nuclear Energy and Engineering

Access to Document

10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503801License: Unspecified

Cite this

Vermeeren, L., Wéber, M., Oriol, L., Breaud, S., Filliatre, P., Geslot, B., Jammes, C., Normand, S., & Lescop, B. (2009). Experimental verification of the fission chamber gamma signal suppression by the Campbelling mode. In ANIMMA 2009: 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications Article 5503801 (ANIMMA 2009 - 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications).. https://doi.org/10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503801

Vermeeren, L. ; Wéber, M. ; Oriol, L. et al. / Experimental verification of the fission chamber gamma signal suppression by the Campbelling mode. ANIMMA 2009: 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications. Piscataway, NJ, United States, 2009. (ANIMMA 2009 - 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications).

@inproceedings{b69d8f4c1e754df9be5d32139bb6e301,

title = "Experimental verification of the fission chamber gamma signal suppression by the Campbelling mode",

abstract = "For the on-line monitoring of high fast neutron fluxes in the presence of a strong thermal neutron component, SCK·CEN and CEA are jointly developing a Fast Neutron Detector System, based on 242Pu fission chambers as sensors and including dedicated electronics and data processing systems. Irradiation tests in the BR2 reactor of 242Pu fission chambers operating in current mode showed that in typical MTR conditions the fission chamber currents are dominated by the gamma contribution. In order to reduce the gamma contribution to the signal, it was proposed to use the fission chambers in Campbelling mode. An irradiation experiment in the BR2 reactor with a 242Pu and a 235U fission chamber, both equipped with a suitable cable for measurements in Campbelling mode, proved the effectiveness of the suppression of the gamma-induced signal component by the Campbelling mode: gamma contribution reduction factors of 26 for the 235U fission chamber and more than 80 for the 242Pu fission chamber were obtained. The experimental data also prove that photofission contributions are negligibly small. Consequently, in typical MTR conditions the gamma contribution to the fission chamber Campbelling signal can be neglected.",

keywords = "Campbelling mode, Fast neutrons, Fission chambers, Fission reactor measurements, Neutron detectors",

author = "L. Vermeeren and M. W{\'e}ber and L. Oriol and S. Breaud and P. Filliatre and B. Geslot and Christian Jammes and S. Normand and B. Lescop",

note = "Score = 3; 2009 - ANIMMA : 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications , ANIMMA ; Conference date: 07-06-2009 Through 10-07-2009",

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Vermeeren, L, Wéber, M, Oriol, L, Breaud, S, Filliatre, P, Geslot, B, Jammes, C, Normand, S & Lescop, B 2009, Experimental verification of the fission chamber gamma signal suppression by the Campbelling mode. in ANIMMA 2009: 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications., 5503801, ANIMMA 2009 - 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications, Piscataway, NJ, United States, 2009 - ANIMMA , Marseille, France, 2009-06-07. https://doi.org/10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503801

Experimental verification of the fission chamber gamma signal suppression by the Campbelling mode. / Vermeeren, L.; Wéber, M.; Oriol, L. et al.
ANIMMA 2009: 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications. Piscataway, NJ, United States, 2009. 5503801 (ANIMMA 2009 - 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications).

Research output › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Experimental verification of the fission chamber gamma signal suppression by the Campbelling mode

AU - Vermeeren, L.

AU - Wéber, M.

AU - Oriol, L.

AU - Breaud, S.

AU - Filliatre, P.

AU - Geslot, B.

AU - Jammes, Christian

AU - Normand, S.

AU - Lescop, B.

N1 - Score = 3

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N2 - For the on-line monitoring of high fast neutron fluxes in the presence of a strong thermal neutron component, SCK·CEN and CEA are jointly developing a Fast Neutron Detector System, based on 242Pu fission chambers as sensors and including dedicated electronics and data processing systems. Irradiation tests in the BR2 reactor of 242Pu fission chambers operating in current mode showed that in typical MTR conditions the fission chamber currents are dominated by the gamma contribution. In order to reduce the gamma contribution to the signal, it was proposed to use the fission chambers in Campbelling mode. An irradiation experiment in the BR2 reactor with a 242Pu and a 235U fission chamber, both equipped with a suitable cable for measurements in Campbelling mode, proved the effectiveness of the suppression of the gamma-induced signal component by the Campbelling mode: gamma contribution reduction factors of 26 for the 235U fission chamber and more than 80 for the 242Pu fission chamber were obtained. The experimental data also prove that photofission contributions are negligibly small. Consequently, in typical MTR conditions the gamma contribution to the fission chamber Campbelling signal can be neglected.

AB - For the on-line monitoring of high fast neutron fluxes in the presence of a strong thermal neutron component, SCK·CEN and CEA are jointly developing a Fast Neutron Detector System, based on 242Pu fission chambers as sensors and including dedicated electronics and data processing systems. Irradiation tests in the BR2 reactor of 242Pu fission chambers operating in current mode showed that in typical MTR conditions the fission chamber currents are dominated by the gamma contribution. In order to reduce the gamma contribution to the signal, it was proposed to use the fission chambers in Campbelling mode. An irradiation experiment in the BR2 reactor with a 242Pu and a 235U fission chamber, both equipped with a suitable cable for measurements in Campbelling mode, proved the effectiveness of the suppression of the gamma-induced signal component by the Campbelling mode: gamma contribution reduction factors of 26 for the 235U fission chamber and more than 80 for the 242Pu fission chamber were obtained. The experimental data also prove that photofission contributions are negligibly small. Consequently, in typical MTR conditions the gamma contribution to the fission chamber Campbelling signal can be neglected.

KW - Campbelling mode

KW - Fast neutrons

KW - Fission chambers

KW - Fission reactor measurements

KW - Neutron detectors

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U2 - 10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503801

DO - 10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503801

M3 - In-proceedings paper

SN - 9781424452088

T3 - ANIMMA 2009 - 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications

BT - ANIMMA 2009

CY - Piscataway, NJ, United States

T2 - 2009 - ANIMMA

Y2 - 7 June 2009 through 10 July 2009

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Vermeeren L, Wéber M, Oriol L, Breaud S, Filliatre P, Geslot B et al. Experimental verification of the fission chamber gamma signal suppression by the Campbelling mode. In ANIMMA 2009: 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications. Piscataway, NJ, United States. 2009. 5503801. (ANIMMA 2009 - 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications). doi: 10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503801